WMC player VS WMP

Noobie here:

I have 64 bit windows 7 on a Dell Zino HTPC. I was having a problem with awakening the computer. I went to dell and their tech said they'd fix everything from their side. I watched and a newer version of video drivers were downloaded and installed and the BIOS was to be updated but the version that was there previously, was the same date or later than the one downloaded so it was not installed.

Here's the problem:
When I watch a movie from the hard drive in WMC the movie looks as though there's a slight haze over it. Yet when I watch the same move in WMP (WMC has been shut down) it's sharp and pops like the movies used to in WMC before the download and installation of the drivers.
My question:
1.) Is WMP the same player as in WMC?
2.) If not, can I make the WMP the default player for WMC?
3.) HEEEEELLLPPPP.......

Thanks for your suggestions in advance

P.S. I can now wake the computer.

Could just be a codec issue... Please give VLC media player a try and tell us if it works properly.

VideoLAN - Official page for VLC media player, the Open Source video framework!

Rightclick on one of your video files, select Open With, change Default program to WMP (you may have to browse to it's Program File .exe to populate it in list) then tick box to Always Use this Program for these types of files.

Open With - Change Default Program

brady:
VLC works perfectly.

gregrocker:
Right clicking and slecting wmp (either 32 or 64bit) doesn't work when you run WMC. The choosing of 'Always use this program' works perfectly when the WMC program is closed. Video's clear and the colors are vivid. I think because your in WMC's envelope. And again I don't think WMC uses WMP (32 or 64 bit) I think it has it's own player??

ANY OTHER IDEAS????

On 64bit operating systems, Media Center is a 64bit player that can only use 64bit codecs.
I suggest you install the Shark007 Win7codecs along with the x64Components addon which contains the 64bit codecs.

After installation, open the 64bit Settings Application as an Administrator, and press the button to associate filetypes to the Windows players. next, go to the SWAP TAB and disable the Microsoft Video decoder so that the installed codecs can be used by Media Center.

Thanks:
Shark007
gregrocker
brady
I did find a solution and the out come is probably the same as Shark007's answer yet no downloads or programs were used.
It was a registry hack:
It will set Media Center to output 0-255 levels.
Sharpens the picture on most Nvidia cards.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Debug\ehPresenter.dll]
"NominalRange"=dword:1

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Debug\ehPresenter.dll]
"BoundByNativeSize"=dword:0

Just cut and paste them into a text file including the line starting with Windows Registry and rename the file .txt to .reg then double click on the file and it should add it to the registry.

The hack was found here:
[SOLVED] MC7 Washed-Out video (black) compared to WMP - Australian Media Center Community